Comment

Regardless of Cohen's narrow view of the NA's, there is a deeper message here, one that shouldn't be ignored, it's not really about blasphemy (as he says) it's about fear. It's the fear within muslim men. Their insecurities are written in immutable words from their prophet. They cannot be changed, they cannot adapt, they are not flexible.

A woman can have a child, the father may not really be the father. But she knows. He's never sure.
A man cannot have a child, he has to commit time and energy (invest) into this potential cuckoo.
A man cannot ever be 100% that his child is his. A woman can always be 100% certain.
A man cannot trust a woman. He has to be around her until she is pregnant to assure the child is his.

This is why all (but specifically islam) exist. Control of people, but mostly women.

This whole thing is about islam, and some of its followers drawing a line in the sand. 'You can change this a little, there is some wiggle room here, but this; it will never change'.

Amongst the things that will probably never change are the punishments (not that they are used very much apparently) for homosexuality, infidelity, apostasy, being born a woman or being born in a country that doesn't practice islam; death or subjugation.
Even if the punishments change, the whole point is that these things are still against the 'law'.

It's my opinion that the current wave of democratic urgency in the middle-east is in part a response to islam and its immutability. Looking at the demographics of these countries, unemployment is 10% or above, mean age is 24. Even if increasing food prices are included, I'd say the biggest problem here is 'future shock' for the religious leaders, and the willingness of the young to embrace the modern world. They imams really can't understand that 'the youth' can speak/read other languages, have interests outside allah/family/tribe/nation.

I also suspect that this whole movement will have as revolutionary impact upon the islamic states as printing had upon the catholic church. Information is everything in these connected times. Ask Saif Qadaffi how his PhD is doing now. http://saifalislamgaddafithesis.wikia.com/wiki/Plagiarism

The wise, old imams, who in older times may actually have been wise, benevolent and understanding, but who are now attempting to cling to the last vestiges of power as any dictator, lose power and influence at a startling rate. They never learnt the oldest lesson in the book; the longer and harder you repress a population, the longer and harder the retribution delivered by the people upon the oppressors.

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